LSU softball continues its history of playing in a pitcher’s park this spring, with dominant pitching all across the roster for this 2025 season.
Since LSU softball’s Tiger Park is just off the Mississippi River, the wind has always blown toward home plate from the outfield. The program has always had the dominant pitching to go with it, and with the 2025 additions to the roster, the nickname of “pitcher’s park” is taken to a new level.
Pitchers Sydney Berzon and Emilee Casanova return to the team, while newcomers Ashley Vallejo, Tatum Clopton and Jayden Heavner are set to join the 2025 roster.
In the 2024 season, Berzon finished the season with a 1.78 ERA over 204 innings pitched. She is expected to lead the pitching staff in the 2025 season as a junior.
Casanova is a fifth-year senior who appeared a few times throughout the 2024 season. She’s had a 2.28 ERA over 15.1 innings pitched.
As the only returning Tiger besides Berzon, Casanova will be expected to pick up some slack in 2025.
“[Casanova] has added some pieces this offseason, worked really hard,” Torina said. “She’s truly the player that does everything right. She deserves a great season, so I know everyone is pulling for her.”
Vallejo and Clopton, newcomers to the SEC, will also see innings on the mound in 2025.
Vallejo comes from McNeese State University and has extensive experience in big moments. In 2023, she pitched through the losers’ bracket and led the Cowgirls to the regional final at the Seattle Regional.
“I know when we played against [Vallejo], she was always tough on our team, so we’re excited to have her in the purple and gold, too,” Torina said.
Clopton went to the Women’s College World Series in 2022 with Oklahoma State University and has been out for two years with a shoulder injury. Torina said Clopton is back with a vengeance this season.
“She (Clopton) looks incredible,” Torina said. “It’s been fun to see her. If this all goes as we think it will, it’s gonna be a great story at the end of the year this year.”
Heavner is an incoming freshman. In 2024, she was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and the 2024 MaxPreps Player of the Year. Torina looks forward to seeing Heavner this season and the new look she brings to the team.
According to Torina, Heavner has thrown around 10 innings in scrimmages, but her Tiger teammates have only been able to muster two hits off of her pitches.
“[Heavner] is really special,” Torina said. “She enters a long line of great pitching that has been here at LSU, even before my time.”
With the addition of Heavner, Clopton and Vallejo to the established staff of Berzon and Casanova, LSU softball’s history of being known for pitching is set to continue into the 2025 season.
